Closure for containers



Nov. 23, 1943. A. CHERKIN CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 9. 1942Patented Nov. 23, 1943 CLOSURE FOB CONTAINERS Arthur Cher-kin, LosAngela, Cali! assignor to Don Baxter, Ina, Glendale, Calm, a corporationof Ne '0 Application February 9, 1942, Serial No. 430,083

3 Claims. (oi. 215-37) This invention relates to closures for containersand refers particularly to closures for containers intended to behermetically sealed under vacuum, and is of special value as a closurefor a container intended to hold an intravenous solution or to be usedas a part of a blood transfusion set.

lf'he closure of the present invention is in the form of a plug ofrubber, or equivalent material, intended to be seated within the neck ofa container. Closures of this type are intended to remain in positionduring the removal of the contents of the container and, therefore, aregenerally provided with two bores-one for the withdrawal of the fluidcontents of the container and one for the admissionof air into thecontainer in the withdrawing operations. If these bores extend entirelythrough the closure, then it is necessary to provide auxiliary sealingmeans for hermetically sealing the container. Furthermore, at times itis desirable toinsert glass tubes through the bores of the closure forwithdrawing the contents of the container or introducing air thereinto,while at other times it is desirable to employ hypodermic needles forthis purpose. Heretofore, such closures have not been satisfactorilydesigned for the alternate use of either glass tubes or hypodermicneedles.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improvedclosure which is capable of hermetically sealing the contents of thecontainer without requiring the use of any supplemental means or discs,which closure is so constructed that either glass tubes or hypodermicneedles may be readily inserted through the closure and properly held bythe closure.

More particularly, an object of the present invention is to provide aclosure including bores normally closed by diaphragms integral with thecomposition of the closure, which diaphragms are susceptible of beingreadily sheared to permit the insertion of glass tubes, and the walls ofwhich bores and some of such diaphragms are so constructed and arrangedthat whether glass tubes or hypodermic needles are employed the closureis capable of firmly gripping and sealing itself to the walls of suchtubes or hypodermic needles.

The closure of the present invention, together with numerous furtherimportant features and advantages of the invention, will be thoroughlyunderstood from the following description of a number of preferred formsor examples of closures embodying the present invention.

The description is given in connection with the accompanying drawing, inwhich Figure 1 is an elevation in vertical section of the closure afterfracture of one oi the diaphragms by the insertion of a glass tubeforming part of a dispensing apparatus showing theclosure in place inthe neck of a container.

Figure 2 is a bottom view of a closure.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an elevation in section of a modified form of closure.

Figure 5 is an elevation in vertical section of another modified form ofclosure.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6% of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a section illustrating a further modification.

Referring to the drawing, 2 indicates a container, which may be a glassbottle, provided with a neck 3. The closure 4 of the present inventionis indicated as seated within the neck 3 and consists of a body part ofsubstantially cylindrical'form having a top annular flange 5 restingupon the top edge of the neck 3 in order to restrain the closure 5 frombeing forced or drawn through the neck 3 of the container.

The closure t is indicated as having a bore normally closed, which boreincludes preferably a countersunk portion 6 at the outer face of theclosure for assisting in guiding the glass tube into the bore, followingwhich the bore includes a cylindrical wall portion 1 of suitablediameter and length to firmly grip the walls of the glass tube. Belowthe portion i the closure is provided with a diaphragm 8 which normallycloses the bore. Below the diaphragm d the bore is enlarged, asindicated at 9, and in addition thereto extended laterally, as indicatedat it, for the purposes hereinafter pointed out.

The diaphragm 8 should be constructed of a sumcient thickness so that,if it is desired to withdraw the contents of the container 2 through thebore by means of a hypodermic needle, such needle after piercing throughthe diaphragm 3 will be firmly gripped by the composition of thediaphragm 8, for which purpose the diaphragm is should be of a thicknessof about A". The diaphragm 8 is also adapted to be sheared from itsposition, closing the bore by the act of inserting a glass tube throughthe bore. In order to permit this action, the diaphragm 8 is indicatedas scored, as shown at H, the scoring being preferably of arc form withthe diameter of the arc nearly equal to that of the section I of thebore. The portion of the diaphragm 8 which is not scored faces thelateral extension of the enlarged portion 9 of the bore. By means of thescoring II, the insertion of a glass tube through the bore permits thediaphragm 8 to be sheared along the line of the scoring I l. Thediaphragm 8 remains attached to the body of the closure,

however, and pivots back, as indicated in Figure purpose of withdrawingthe contents thereof.

Before the insertion of the tube l2, the opening through which such tubeis inserted is maintained hermetically closed by the closure without thenecessity of there being employed any additional sealing means.Furthermore, connection between a dispensing apparatus and the closuremay be made using a hypodermic needle. For example, the glass tube l2may be replaced by a second hypodermic needle similar to theoneindicated at N and said hypodermic needle pierced through the centerof the diaphragm 8. The diaphragm 8 is of suflicient thickness toadequately grip and seal against such a hypodermic needle.

In order to permit the flow of air into the container 2 during thewithdrawal operations, the

' closure might, if desired, be provided with a second bore, similar inform to that shown in Figure 3 but preferably of simplified form asshown at l5. As indicated at IS, the preferred form of bore extends fromthe inner face substantially, but not completely, to the outer face ofthe closure 4. There the bore connects with a shear nipple l6 and asmall bore ll extending to a height above the outer face of the closure4. In use a hypodermic needle may be inserted, as indicated at Hi, toallow the entrance of air to the container 2, or the nipple l6 may besheared from the closure 4. In either of such cases connections may bemade with suitable air filters, if desired.

In certain cases, the closure 4 may be provided with an additional borel9, as indicated more particularly in Figure 6. This bore extends fromthe lower face of the closure to nearly the outer face of the closure 4,leaving a thin diaphragm 2D. The purpose of such bore I9 is to act as anindicator to indicate whether a vacuum has been maintained within thecontainer 2, the diaphragm being made sufiiciently thin so as to bedepressed by the presence of vacuum within the container 2 and therebyindicate such vacuum.

Obviously, theclosure of the present invention may assume variousalternative forms. Thus, in Figure 4, I have indicated a closure 4awhich may be similar to closure 4, except that the diaphragm 8a inFigure 4 is indicated as having its scoring I la formed from above thediaphragm 8a. Such closure 4a may have a suitable bore l5a normallyclosed by the shear nipple l6a. In Figure 5, I have indicated a furthermodification in which the bore for connection with the dispensingapparatus includes the tapered portion 6b, cylindrical portion lb, andan enlarged bore 9b, but in place of the diaphragm 8 this modificationis provided above the countersunk portion 6b with a protruding cap 2|having a laterally extending portion 22 which may be partiallyunderscored, as indicated at 23. The air inlet bore ISD is indicated aslikewise closed at its upper end with a cap 24 having an extension 25,which may be partially underscored as indicated at 26. In this along thescoring 26 and pivoting the same from the bore lib and inserting a glasstube through the bore.

Now, referring to Figure 7, I have.indicated a further modificationwhich may be made in the air inlet of the bore in order that such airinlet may also serve as a vacuum indicator. In such a case, the bore lieis enlarged, as indicated at 21, near the upper end of the closure andthere connects with the shear nipple 28. By suitably enlarging the boreI50 near the upper end of the closure, the closure may be suflicientlyweakened at the enlargement 21 to allow the vacuum within the container2 to cause the surface of the closure at the bore I 50 to assume adepressed position under the influence of vacuum within the container,thereby indicating such vacuum.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the presentinvention provides a closure for a container, which closure is normallycapable of retaining the container hermetically sealed but is adaptedfor making ready connections with either tubing or hypodermic needles.

The present, invention is capable of numerous a modifications and is notlimited to the exact form shown, but includes such variations-andchanges as come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A closure plug for a container, comprising a body having a boreextending from the inner face towards the outer face, said hereincluding a portion of relatively smaller diameter adjacent the outerface of the body and a portion of larger diameter adjacent the innerface of the body, said body forming a diaphragm extending across thebore between said portions and normally closing the bore, said diaphragmbeing partially scored to permit shearing of said diaphragm.

2. A closure plug for a container, including a body having a boreextending from its inner to its outer face, said bore having a portionof relatively smaller diameter adiacent its outer face and a portion ofrelatively larger cross-sectional area adjacent its inner face, saidlatter portion being enlarged laterally from the axis of the bore at onepoint, the body forming a diaphragm between said portions normallyclosing said bore and scored, except in the region of said lateralenlargement, to facilitatethe partial shearing of said diaphragm fromsaid body.

3. A closure plug for a container, comprising a body having a boreextending from the inner face towards the outer face, said boreincluding a portion of relatively smaller diameter adjacent the outerface of the body and a portion of larger diameter adjacent the innerface of the body, said body forming a diaphragm and extending across thebore between said portions and normally closing the bore, said diaphragmbeing of suflicient thickness to form a seal with a hypodermic needlewhen punctured thereby, said diaphragm being partially scored to permitshearing of said diaphragm.

. ARTHUR CHERKIN.

